Damian Green

The Conservative Party has challenged Charles Clarke to stop "unfair discrimination" in university admissions.

Shadow education secretary Damian Green called on Clarke to sign up to a Tory-inspired four-point commitment to parents and students.

As the education secretary appeared in front of the Commons education select committee, Green urged action to ensure fair access to higher education.

One of the most controversial aspects of the government's plan is a pledge to introduce an "access regulator" to monitor and enforce social diversity in universities.

Clarke was forced to overrule higher education minister Margaret Hodge earlier this month after she said that the government would seek to impose quotas on colleges.

Tories have also joined independent schools in condemning Bristol University after reports suggested that its admission process is skewed in favour of poorer students.

Green's charter pledges that a Conservative government would "abolish the access regulator, make universities publish their admissions criteria, prevent universities from using an applicant's parents' level of education and income as an admissions criteria, and never set quotas for university access".

"Clarke should urgently clear up the confusion surrounding the government's attitude to university admissions," said Green.

"He needs to rule out once and for all the interference of the government in the awarding of university places and should ensure that universities admit individuals on merit alone."